Between 4 p.m. and 5 on a glorious Friday afternoon in May a long line of limos
and taxis pulled up to Pier 90, 51st Street and the Hudson River, the QE2's
regular docking space when Manhattan is her port of call. People hurried out
of the vehicles, down the length of the wharf and onto the ship with great speed.
The liner wasn't sailing until 7 and wasn't scheduled to go anyplace special,
just out into the Atlantic Ocean for the weekend. In two days it would bring
the passengers back to the pier from which they embarked. But being aboard the
Cunard Line's best-known boat just for the sake of cruising is what this trip
was all about. It was to be a "Party at Sea."

Experienced cruisers like us have our own drill upon boarding–check out the room,
then immediately go to the video library to borrow those films we'd like to catch
up on before bedtime. On this trip we had more urgent business, visit the new Steiner
Health Spa and schedule some treatments before the appointment book got filled.
We signed up for European holistic treatments such as inhalation, a variation of
aromatherapy;phytomer (seaweed) underwater massage; and a cathiodermie facial.

The decision to bring the famous London beauty company aboard to operate the recently
refurbished and very handsome fitness facilities, now spanning two decks, was a smart
one. "Wow" was our reaction when we saw the giganticthalassotherapy
pool styled in nautical motif and filled with therapeutically beneficial salt water.
Designed to accommodate many men and women at the same time, it has a series of jets
that function somewhat like an aerobic circuit, massaging various parts of the body
as you move from station to station. The gymnasium is supervised by four certified
fitness instructors and features Life Stride, Life Cycle and Life Step cardiovascular
equipment, as well as Cybex weight machines and free weights. During a typical day
at sea about seven different classes take place, such as aerobics, body conditioning,
step challenge and stretch. Trainers are on hand for personal fitness sessions and
the sports directors organize shuffleboard, paddle tennis, basketball, volleyball
and complimentary golf lessons.

Passengers, who wish to take part in a total fitness experience, have the option
of eating "The QE2 Spa Suggestion," a complete meal—two courses
at lunch and three at dinner—appearing on every menu and "representing today's
awareness of the need for a healthy well-balanced diet." At noon the selections
might include a spa chef salad as a main course and pineapple with blackberry coulis
for dessert. In the evening vegetable terrine could be the appetizer; grilled fillet
of cod, the entree; and American glacé ice cream, the finale. The QE2 "High
Energy Health and Fitness Breakfast" offers cholesterol-free hot dishes, a variety
of fresh fruits, cereals and breads. The kitchen also turns out many other tasty
dishes that are not listed as spa foods, but are low in calories, fat and salt.

The QE2 is the only passenger ship still operating regular sailings between New
York and Southampton. The five-day crossings will continue until the end of October
when the ship is scheduled for a $45 million refurbishment. Business travelers may
bring a companion on a transatlantic crossing for the price of a single cabin.

Fares start at $3,870. Depending on the grade of cabin booked special air fares
of either $299 or $999 for a one-way British Airways Concorde flight between London
and New York or Washington, D.C. apply. A companion ticket aboard the Concorde may
be purchased for $999. New York/Newark, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit,
Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. serve as regular
gateway cities.